Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Will Vest (19) celebrates after the final out of Game 3 of the American League Wild Card Series against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field, Oct. 2, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio. Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Colt Keith Returns As Tigers Release Dominant Roster Ahead of ALDS Matchup

Originally posted on Detroit Tigers on SI
By Maria Aldrich | Last updated Oct 4, 2025 1:31 PM ET

The Detroit Tigers managed to find their way to the ALDS this weekend after a much-needed 6-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday. Early on in the season, it looked like chances were incredibly slim for the Tigers to make it this far. Now, the Tigers are gearing up for a five-game set against the Seattle Mariners starting on Saturday night.

The Mariners' roster is equipped with a stellar group of players, but some of their key stars have been left off the roster, including their ace Bryan Woo, a major blow to the franchise. With Woo off the field, the Tigers stand a better chance of coming out on top.

"The Mariners are the better team, offensively and on the mound," wrote Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. "The Tigers at least catch a break with Seattle ace Bryan Woo dealing with a pectoral injury. That, plus the Tarik Skubal advantage, should let the Tigers win one game and steal another..."

Now that Detroit's roster has been announced, how is Game 1 looking against Seattle's crew?

Tigers Announce Finalized ALDS Roster

Shortly before their 1 p.m. EST deadline, Detroit submitted their final roster for Saturday's game. Here's how things are looking for the franchise:

Pitchers: Kyle Finnegan, Jack Flaherty Brenan Hanifee, Tyler Holton, Brant Hurter, Tommy Kahnle, Troy Melton, Casey Mize, Keider Montero, Tarik Skubal and Will Vest.

Outfielders: Kerry Carpenter, Riley Greene, Jahmai Jones, Parker Meadows and Winceel Perez

Infielders: Colt Keith, Trey Sweeney, Spencer Torkelson and Gleyber Torres

Catchers: Dillon Dingler and Jake Rogers

INF/OF: Javier Baez, Andy Ibanez and Zach McKinstry

Your ALDS Tigers ⤵️#BuiltForOctober pic.twitter.com/4z7oJraj3M
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) October 4, 2025

Notable adjustments include the absences of outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy and pitcher Paul Swewald. Right-hander Brenan Hanifee and infielder Colt Keith have been added to the roster.

Fans should be excited to see Keith back on the roster. His bat is a threat against the heavy right-handed roster of the Mariners. Just a day ago, the team was still unsure of whether Keith would be ready to go following his stint on the IL for right rib-cage inflammation.

Keith faced live action on Friday in game-simulated activities and apparently passed the test. Without having a minor league ramp-up, fans will have to see if his stamina and injury recovery can withstand the test of the playoffs.

Pitcher Troy Melton appears eager for his appearance, and according to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, Melton stated, "Once you get out on the mound, the job is the exact same — you want to get outs as fast as you can, as much as you can. It makes it easy when my mentality doesn't change for me at all. Whatever they need from me, I'm ready to go for whatever they want."

The Tigers-Mariners matchup is scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. Many are expecting Seattle to clinch the victory, but Detroit still has the potential to pull off a win, increasing its chances of extending its time in the playoffs.

This article first appeared on Detroit Tigers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: